His Shadow
by Bulldust
Summary: Every where he goes, death follows. When mysterious skulls keep showing up in strange places within the territory, it becomes too coincidental to ignore. An unseen force drifts into the pack lands, and threatens the peace.


"I don't understand why I have to tail you everywhere like a lost calf."

The beige she wolf gave a huff of laughter as she leapt onto a jutting ledge, "Because you got promoted to Major, you should be glad you have to follow me around, Waw."

The larger wolf gave a growl as he clambered onto the cliff face, following the Heiress up the mountainside. As a Don in the Kongeriket, his responsibilities were to play security, bouncer, and protector of the pack. That rank alone held a high status in the hierarchy. Being promoted to Major Don in only a few months was almost unbelievable among the pack. It was only a year ago when he was a yearling Omega, barely scraping by at the bottom of the pecking order, and now he had the honor of becoming the Kongeriket Heiress' personal bodyguard. If it were any other pack, they would have laughed at the idea of promoting him; but saving the young Heiress Jazzy from drowning had changed the way the pack viewed him.

The she wolf in question was now making rounds about the territory. They were to explore the mountains to find any new burrows or changes to the landscape, as well as to assess the local predator population. It was a rather cool spring with relatively good weather, and many new mothers in the pack were already beginning to have their pups. Bears were also beginning to make their way down the mountain, and any coming too close to the pack dens had to be chased out.

They pair were walking by a rather precarious ridge that overlooked a deep gorge carving its way down the mountain. It was a straight drop down towards the churning waters below, almost reminiscent to the roaring rapids from last year. As they travelled along the red male gave a grunt. "Oi, isn't this the place where, you know, you almost drowned to death?"

"'Drowned to death,' really?" She gave him a look. "It's not at this exact spot, but it's somewhere around here."

"Don't get any ideas, because I am _NOT _jumping in after you."

Jazzy snorted at that, "Don't worry, I'm not a pup anymore."

The two turned away from the gorge and started towards the steep side of the slope, gravel sliding between their toes as they trekked. Wawelski gave a bark when a rock shelf gave under his weight and he slid downward a few feet, giving an impatient growl as he crept along, "Why the hell are we here again anyway, we've already been here yesterday. Shouldn't you be going to a Council meeting or something."

The Heiress walked along the slope with ease, her light feet barely moving the stones. "I never got a full look at the range over here, I want to make sure there are no bears or cougars near the dens. And no, there are no Council meetings, unless you do something stupid again."

The red wolf gave a growl as he slid after the smaller wolf, too busy trying not to fall off the mountain than making any quip. The pair travelled along the very fringes of the mountain, finding only two vacated bear dens before heading back the way they came. Wawelski was plodding along the path by the gorge when he heard the Heiress call out in front of him. He trotted over to see her standing by a ledge, looking at a small object. She turned and gave him a curious head tilt, "Hey Waw, come here and check this out."

The large wolf lumbered over to stand beside the she wolf and inspect whatever had peaked her interest. At the very edge of the cliff was a rabbit skull, fully intact with its lower jaw still connected to it. There were still bits of fur and dirt clinging to the crevices in the bone.

Wawelski turned and gave Jazzy a blank look, "Is that it. You made me walk all the way here for a rabbit skull. You must _really _care."

The beige wolf curled her lip at him, "Don't be an ass. This skull wasn't here before, I thought it was interesting."

The red male rolled his eyes with a scoff, "You get amazed by literally everything. A bird probably dropped it here when it was eating or something."

"I don't think so. Look at that dirt, it doesn't look fresh from a raptor kill."

"Whatever, a crow dropped it here. You know those rotten poachers leave weird things everywhere. Now lets go before a bear eats someone's kid."

He stomped past the she wolf, his heavy steps causing the skull to tremble and drop over the edge. The skull gave a soft crack as it hit a jutting rock, breaking into pieces and falling into the waters below. The beige wolf took one last look over the edge, before following her brutish bodyguard with an annoyed sigh.

"Wow! A rabbit skull all the way up there?"

"Yeah, I know. It was a cute little thing." Jazzy smiled as she and the ginger Omega caught up on their most recent adventure. Wawelski couldn't have given a damn if he tried. After the Heiress had finished relaying her report to one of the Subordinate Alphas, they ran into Dracorex pulling meat off a carcass in the lowland plains. The red male was happy to see his sister, but their unrelenting fascination for a rodent skull was beginning to annoy him again.

"I thought about bringing it home to one of the pups until _Waw _kicked it over the edge." Jazzy swung her head and stuck her tongue out at the larger wolf, getting a snicker from the ginger Omega.

"I didn't _kick _it," Wawelski gave an impatient growl, "It dropped over the edge by itself. It doesn't matter anyway, it's just a stupid rabbit skull."

"Sheesh, no need to get all upset brother," Dracorex gave the male a friendly headbutt, then went back to ripping at the elk carcass. She tore out a heavy piece of the flank and turned to the two wolves, "I gotta go take this to the dens, those pups are still small but they eat like monsters. See ya later."

The two bid their farewells to the crippled Omega, watching her hobble back to the dens in the Highlands. Jazzy turned back towards the frayed carcass and started picking at the ribcage. After a few moments she pulled her head out, her muzzle stained a light pink, "You can just come eat with me you know, you don't have to obey hierarchy when you're around me."

The red wolf gave a scoff, "Like I've ever cared about ranks before." Instead he laid down in the short grass and closed his eyes, facing away from the Heiress. The she wolf gave a noncommittal snort and continued eating. The larger male had already eaten earlier in the day before he was forced to trot around the entire mountain range; he just wanted to rest and that day hike made him even more pissed than usual. Now that their task was complete he was more than happy with lounging in the early evening grass, ignoring everything and everyone.

He was uncertain how much time had passed, what he did know was a new scent invaded his nostrils. It was the harsh, unforgettable tang of fresh blood. He sat upright, on high alert and nose twitching. Jazzy lifted her head from a few meters away from where she was lying, fur still stained and she gave a curious nod.

He stood up and he heard a puzzled growl, but he ignored it. The sun had set, making the plains dim and full of shadows. He swung his head about in the grass, looking for the source. After a few paces his paw kicked something, and he lowered his head to investigate. His eyes adjusted to the dim shadows of the grass enough for him to make out a skull, but it wasn't any he had seen before.

The male heard footsteps padding behind him as the Heiress stood by his side, "Is that a beaver skull?"

"A beaver? You mean those water rodents?" Wawelski turned his gaze on the she wolf, now confused more than anything. The nearest stream was miles away, and there were no trees around for a good hundred meters. "Why would a beaver walk all the way over here?"

"It would have plenty of trees and wood items by its dam right? Especially after the winter flooding." Jazzy bent down and gave the skull a nudge, "I wonder if it had a family." The skull left a red stain on the she wolf's nose, which she wiped away with a tongue.

Wawelski took another look at the skull. The blood was still wet and red when they found it, meaning it was killed recently, perhaps within the hour. It's lower jaw was still intact, and aside from the coagulated blood staining it, it showed no other signs that it was killed by a predator. The bone itself shed no teeth marks, and no bits of spine or fur were present. Snakes and small carnivores were quickly ruled out. A bear wouldn't have taken any interest in a beaver and then drag its corpse miles here. And there were no cats around to drop it off.

After another moment, Wawelski sat down with a huff. "Someone must have killed it and brought it here. I don't know why though, there's an elk carcass literally twenty feet away."

"Hm," The she wolf looked down at the skull, and then lifted her head to check the surrounding area. "It might have been a yearling who caught it, tore it up, and then threw its remains around like some trophy."

"Yearlings are stupid."

"You say that like you didn't try to fight my father when you were a yearling."

The larger male stepped over the skull with a growl, "Shut up."

A shrill scream jolted the Major Don awake, and he lowered his head again with a soft growl. A few meters away, a litter of pups were having the time of their lives, running about and yapping so loud one could hear it across the mountain range. Wawelski was lying in the shadow of the High Ledge where the Alpha Pair regularly sat, not inclined to rest in the afternoon sunlight. The leaders and the rest of the Council were discussing territory boundaries beyond the cliff face, not that Wawelski cared. Apparently, he was not allowed to partake in the meeting, but he also wasn't allowed to leave the Heiress' side. And so he was placed just out of earshot of their meeting, and within the range of four rambunctious, screeching pups.

When he said he wanted to be with family, he meant his actual blood family. Wawelski gave another subdued growl as another bark of laughter sounded to his right. He swore, if another pup screamed one more time, he was going to chuck them all down the mountain side.

Their barks of mirth were interrupted by a snarl, and the red wolf opened one eye to investigate. A small gray she wolf, most likely their mother, emerged from a burrow with her jaws wrapped around a pale object. "What have I told you about leaving bones in the den! If I see one more skull in here I'm going to drag you by your tails!" The mother dropped whatever was in her mouth to further scold her pups, and Wawelski swung his head up in sudden interest.

It was a skull of an elk calf, Its lower jaw missing, and it was covered in dirt and grime. The male gave a quick reflection over the last few hunts; no calves were caught, and no carcasses were found within the territory. It couldn't have been caught during the night, since there was already an elk caught the day before.

He rose to his feet and lumbered over to the family, expression dark, "Let me see the skull."

The gray mother whipped her head around to snap at whoever broke her train of scolding, and immediately paled at the sight of him. There was no doubt that she recognized him as the wolf who rose from Omega to Don, and she quickly lowered her head to look away. "Yes, of course. Here it is, sir."

She dropped the calf skull at his feet and then quietly ushered her pups away. The Major Don inspected the skull. It was covered in chew marks by teething pups, but it looked a few days old, maybe even a week. He cracked open its maxilla and confirmed it wasn't a skull from last year.

Something like tension weighed on his shoulders. It was extremely ironic that he found a calf skull right under the high ledge, almost deja vu from last year when the Alpha had a similar skull. Almost too ironic.

He gave a soft huff through his nose and swept the thought away. Since when did he become a conspiracy theorist? It was more than likely that an eagle dropped it while flying over the territory, that could explain it. With that thought, he gave it a final sniff to confirm his theory. There was no stranger wolf's scent on it, the territory boundaries were secure.

"Mister Don?" The large wolf turned his head around to stare at four little pups giving him bright, teary eyes. "Can we please have the skull back?"

He gave the begging pups a cold look, with an even colder "No." He placed a heavy paw on the skull and crushed it, crushing the young pup's hopes as well.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I said I would like to receive another report on the border here." Jazzy relayed once more to an older, gruffer looking wolf.

The wolf, who Wawelski assumed was the Major Scout of this section, looked disgruntled before letting out an impatient growl. "We've already sent out our report a few hours ago. It's a Lope you should be hunting down."

"Oh no don't confuse my words Major, we got your daily report. But I just got back from a meeting with the Council. We've decided to double reports on the Southern Border until Fall. After the incident where a band of rogues slipped in without any guards the Alphas don't want to take anymore chances."

The Major glowered at the smaller wolf. "The last time I checked, it was the Alpha Pair themselves who neglected to schedule a guard posting."

The Heiress snapped her ears forward and gave a curt growl, "Care to add that to the report?"

The Major Scout looked to the beige she wolf, and to the menacing red wolf at her shoulder, and lowered his head, looking away. "No, your Highness. If you could follow me I will escort you around the border myself, and offer better detail."

Wawelski hung back a pace and let the two wolves take the lead as they discussed scent marking. He chose to blot out their conversation in favor of an old memory in the back of his mind. The last time he set foot in this part of the border, he was attacked by a band of outsiders. Even more concerning was just how easily he was pinned down by the enemy. It had been several months since that skirmish, but he swore he could still feel those cold eyes stabbing into him.

The trio continued their patrol along the border, unaware of the fight that took place months before. The red male looked around. Instead of snow and blood covering the area, it was beginning to bud with new life. Green grass peeked through the dirt, and buds began to form on the trees. In the distance, birds sang their final songs into the fading light of the sunset. Here and there, a wolf was spotted, most likely a Scout. They were found tucked into corners to rest, or lounging and conversing with their fellow packmates. The Don gave a snort. For wolves who have one of the most important roles in the pack, they got to sit around all day.

A shadow caught his attention and he looked up to see a looming boulder. The same Outpost marker from winter. He left the Heiress and Major Scout for a moment to take a closer look. His scent had been washed away by time, a sniff confirmed it. It had a strong scent of Scouts all over its base, making a point to proclaim to any outsiders that this was protected territory. He mused on whether he should add his own mark when something caught his eye. He rose up and planted large paws onto the rockface, peering up at the strange object at its peak. He looked to a skinnier Scout with a grunt, and the smaller wolf scaled up the boulder to retrieve it. The scraping of claws got the attention of the other wolves who turned to watch.

"Just what exactly are you doing with my Scout, Don?" The Major Scout stepped forward with a growl. Wawelski ignored him, his attention on the small wolf as he hopped down from the rock. A large moose skull dropped to the ground, one of its antlers missing.

The Major curled his lip at the sight. "What is the meaning of this?" He swung his head around at his subordinates with a snarl. "Which one of you left carrion on the Outpost! You know the laws, and in front of the Heiress too!" It was a common rule among packs to never leave food around the borders. The scent of an easy meal could gather the unwanted attention of outsiders. The Major was infuriated, having been embarrassed once again. He raised his head and gave a barked out to the subordinate Scouts, "Who put their leftovers on the Outpost!"

There were soft murmurings among the wolves but no one spoke up. Jazzy stepped forward and examined the skull. "I don't think anyone's been gnawing on it Major, there are no teeth marks." Upon closer look at the skull, it looked to be months old. The bone was bleached white by prolonged sun exposure, and its scent was faint. "There's no way any animal would consider this a meal worth scavenging."

The fur on the Scout's withers flattened a tad, but he still gave a gruff growl, "That doesn't answer my question. Who left it up there."

"Could one of your subordinates have dug it up somewhere and brought it here?" The Heiress asked. Wawelski, who was silently watching the exchange, flicked an ear back at a distant noise. More heads turned towards the north, recognizing the far off calls as howls. There were many and sounded urgent. The Heiress gave a swift parting to the Scouts and bounded towards the red Don. The pair then raced back towards the pack dens, the moose skull forgotten.

It was a long distance run; the sun had drifted below the horizon and left the world and their thoughts in darkness. They rushed passed fearful pack mates and ran towards the center of the encampment. Some wolves stood and stared, others tucked themselves in the shadows with their families. The pair skidded to a halt and looked up at the High Ledge.

There stood Alpha Harvey, standing tall but struggling to hide his own anxiety as he stood before his pack. At his feet was a great skull of a bear, still covered in blood and reeked of death. The skull glistened in the moonlight as the leader howled, "There is an intruder in the territory!"

Wawelski lay awake just outside his family's den, the she wolves inside snoring quietly. Jazzy was tucked in between himself and his mother, with the red male's body blocking the entrance. The leader had ordered him to closely guard the Heiress, but he needed to protect his own family. The beige she wolf knew his predicament, and had suggested that she spent the night with him. He was hesitant to admit it, but he was thankful that Jazzy didn't separate him from his kin.

He was exhausted from running circles around the territory all day, but he didn't dare close his eyes. Whoever intruded onto their land was strong enough to kill a bear. Even more concerning, they knew where the pups were denning, and had even made a mockery of their border. But how? How were they able to drift in under everyone's noses, even his own?

A snap to his right brought him back to focus. He stared into the gloom looking for any movement in the shadows. Another soft break of leaves and he saw a figure he did not recognize, carrying a skull. Immediately he sprang forward with a snarl towards the stranger. They jumped in surprise and tried to run, but was overtaken by the larger wolf and tackled to the ground with his teeth in their throat.

"_Ahhh-!"_

The sudden scream gave Wawelski pause; it sounded familiar. He released the stranger's throat and looked down in shock. The she wolves inside the den had woken up from the commotion and rushed over to see what the red male found. Dracorex gave a bark in surprise, "Petrichor?"

The pale omega squirmed under the Don, choking. "Hi.. P-Please get off my neck.."

The larger wolf obliged, letting the thin wolf scramble to his feet with a cough. Jazzy spoke up from beside Wawelski, "What are you doing running around in the night Pet? Haven't you heard about the mole in the territory?"

"Mole?" The Omega tilted his head, then his eyes drifted to the side. "Oh.."

Wawelski followed his gaze and saw a coyote skull, and immediately bristled. "You mean to tell me we've been running about like headless quails, when it was _you _the whole time!"

Petrichor jumped and immediately cowered, lowering his body. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean any harm, really! I just thought that, since you saved me before, that I'd give you something in return." Wawelski stopped snarling and became confused, like the rest of the group. The Omega carried on. "I found a nice looking hare skull and I left it for you, but I thought you didn't like it because you kicked it down the cliff. So then I tried to find better looking skulls to leave for you to find."

It was Jazzy who spoke next, "Why didn't you just give it to Waw? It could have saved us a lot of trouble."

Petrichor looked away, sheepish, "I was planning to, but you guys looked so busy, and I didn't want to bother you. An Omega like me would never be able to talk to high ranking wolves like you. I'm so sorry I caused so much trouble."

Wawelski glowered down at the smaller wolf, very tempted to strike him. He was tired, bitter, and overall annoyed with him. But the innocent acts of the shy wolf reminded him of another Omega, and he sighed through clenched teeth. "Fine, whatever. Just don't do it again."

The Omega male ogled at him, and Jazzy gave a patient smile, "It's alright Pet, you should never feel afraid to talk to me or Waw. It's our job to keep everyone safe and happy." Wawelski turned and gave her a deadpan look, while Petrichor's eyes sparkled.

"You do have to come with me though, we need to let the Council and Alphas know that everything's fine." The pale wolf tensed, but the Heiress continued with a grin, "Don't worry, I'll just tell them my father overreacted like usual. I'm sure everything will get slid under the log by dawn." She turned towards the main denning area where the Alphas rested, and looked over to the Omega expectantly. Warily, he followed a pace behind her and the two trotted off into the night.

Wawelski watched them go with a grumbling sigh. He sensed movement to his left and turned to see his sister snatching up the coyote skull and skipping off to the den. The red male gave another tired sigh and followed, still wondering about how the hell the skinny Omega managed to take on a bear.

Author's Note: Everyone was fearful for their safety, but it was just Pet's gay ass trynna show Waw his love. Petrichor is a skittish lad, who loves to collect skulls. Obviously his hero and crush deserves the best, most unique skulls right?

Harvey, Jazzy, and Petrichor belong to Pidge on WolfQuest Amino. Rest belongs to me.

If you want to have a better expierence reading and get to know more about the lore of my characters, visit my amino profile here: /c/wolfquest/page/user/bulldust-is-busy/JJBm_EXI0fV7pM6J5dJ8mmDxL8BerXB6dWHm


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